COUNTY NEWS: Car burnt and puppy stolen in raid on Sussex home

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Published:11:52Updated:14:10Friday 24 March 2017

A car was burnt, a puppy, laptops, cash and a handbag stolen in a ‘devastating’ burglary at a Barnham home last night.

Police said homeowners at Lake Lane, Barnham had been left heartbroken by the break-in during the early hours of Thursday morning, after it emerged their 13-week-old Golden Retriever puppy called Barney was missing.

Fire crews from Littlehampton were called to the car fire at 5.40am. Picture: Littlehampton Fire

A blue Vauxhall Meriva car was also stolen and later found set alight in Market Close, Barnham, police confirmed.

Officers said the intruders also made off with two laptop computers, £400 cash and a handbag.

Detective Constable Emma Fields, of the West Sussex community investigation team, said: “The owners are absolutely devastated by his loss and are desperate to find him.”

A Facebook appeal to find Barney the puppy has already been shared more than 200,000 times.

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“Please please please make him too hot to handle and bring him home to his loving home.”

Anyone who knows of Barney’s whereabouts or who may information about the burglary, suspicious people or vehicles in Lake Lane over recent days is asked to email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk, report details online at https://sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal/ or phone 101, quoting serial 124 of 23/03.